Moistening means for duplicators



Aug- 26, 1952 -L. A. sMrrzER rs1-A1. 2,608,154

MOISTENING MEANS FOR DUPLICATORS Filed May 28', 1948 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 @5M/Mgg@ Aug. 26, 1952 L. A. sMlTzER ET AL MOISTENING MEANS FCR DUPLICATORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 28, 1948 L. A. sMlTzER ET AL MoIsTENING MEANS FoR DUPLICAToRs Aug. 26, 1952 4 sheets-sheet 5 Filed May 28, 1948 Aug. 26, 1952 L. A. sMlTzER ET AL 2,608,154.-

MOISTENING MEANS FCR DUPLICATORS Filed May 28, 1948 '4 sheets-sheet 4 l ,uw

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Patented Aug. 26,l 1952 2,608,154 Mo'Is'rENING MEANS Fon DUPLICAToRs Louis A. Smitzer and Henry D. Thompson, Chicago, Ill., assignors to Ditto, Incorporated, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of West Virginia Application May 28, 1948, Serial No. 29,706 a claims. (c1. 10i-132.5)

The present invention relates to a duplicating machine ofthe spirit or wet process type that employs a moistening roller for applying a fluid, such as ethyl alcohol, on the face of each copy sheet as it is fed to the duplicating drum. Mounted on the drum is a master sheet that bears the written or typed material that isto be transferred onto the moistened face of the copy sheet. The ethyl alcohol serves as a solvent to aid in the transfer of the ink on the master sheet onto the copy sheet.

`In a machine of this character the moistening fluid is fed onto the roller by a wick of felt or like material that engages the peripheral face of the material. In the present instance this wick receives its supply of fluid from a fountain that is disposed above the wick. A reservoir containing a supply of the fiuid is located on the machine at a, position below the fountain and a pump serves to pump the fluid to the fountain.

The present invention is primarily concerned with the pump means for feeding the liquid from the reservoir to the wick. This feeding may be accomplished both when the machine is not being operated and also at all times when the machine is in operation. In order to insure that the first copy sheet fed through the machine receives its impression from the master sheet, the fluid feed must be primed so that the moistening roller will have its peripheral face coated with the meistening fluid at the very outset. After the machine commences operating the fluid from the reservoir is fed to the moistening roll-er on a continuous basis to insure at all times a constantly moistened roller. The present invention provides a device that will accomplish both of these objectives, resulting in the production of uniformly clear re-f productions on a large number of copy sheets including the very first sheet. A machine embodying this invention is simple and yet efficient.

Theforegoing constitute some of the principal objects and advantages of the present invention, others f which will become apparent from the following description and the drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, vertical, sectional view through a duplicating machine embodying the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through the machine shown in Fig. 1, the view being taken in the opposite direction;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, vertical sectional view through a, portion ofthe machine, the view being taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken on the line Il-JI of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional view through the machine, the view being taken on the line '5.-5 of Fig. 1;`

Fig. 6 is an enlarged, vertical sectional view through a portion of the machine, the view being taken along the line 6 6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. '7 is anv enlarged, horizontal sectional'view through the primer button assembly, the viewbeing taken on the line 'I-'I of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is likewise a horizontal sectional view taken through the primer button assembly, the view being taken along the line 8-'8 of Fig. 5.

For purposes of illustration a single embodiment of the invention has been selected, though it is recognized that many changes may be made in this embodiment without departing from the A intended scope and spirit of th-e invention.

Referring now to Fig. 1 of the drawings the invention is applicable to a standard duplicating machine that includes a drum I0 that is mounted to rotate on a shaft II. This shaft II as is customary is journalled in a pair of spaced side walls I2 (Figs. 1 and 2) of the machine and is adapted to receive on its peripheral face a master sheet I3 that is locked in place by means of a master sheet clamp indicated at I4. Mounted beneath the drum I0 is a, pressure roller I5 that is adapted to rotate about a shaft I6 that is journalled in spaced pressure arms Ilia. This pressure roller I5 engages the peripheral face of the drum I II and serves to provide pressure contact against the master sheet I3 that is carried by the drum I0.

Mounted in front of the pressure roller I5 is a pair of cooperating feed rollers I'I and I8 mounted respectively on shafts I9 and 2B. Shaft 20 is journalled in the spaced walls I2 of the machine, while shaft I9 is journalled in spaced pressure arms I9a.

Mounted at the forward end of the machine is a paper tray partially shown at 2I upon which copy sheets are initially placed for feeding between the feed rollers I'I and I8. The copy sheets ,are fed one at a time between these feed rollers by means of a paper feed mechanism generally indicated at 22 and are in turn fed between the pressure roller I 5 and drum I0 by means of feed rollers I1 and I8, the drum IIJ being rotated in the direction of the arrow A during this operation. The copy sheets leaving the drum I0 are deposited in a discharge paper tray 23.

Roller I8 in addition to serving as a feed roller in cooperation with roller I'I also serves as a moistening roller to initially moisten the upper surface of each copy sheet as it passes between the rollers. This roller I8 will therefore hereinafter be referred to as a moistening roller. Mounted above the roller I8 is a fountain generally indicated at 24 that is secured to the machine by means of spaced brackets 25 (Fig. 3), each of which is supported on an attaching bracket 26 that includes a, wall 21 that extends across the machine between spaced walls I2. This Wall 21 is provided with a downwardly extending ilange 28, to which each angle bracket 2 5 is riveted or otherwise secured. The attaching bracket 26 is further provided with anges 29, each of which is bolted as at 3U onto one of the walls i2 of the machine. A guard plate 3| is likewise secured to the lower iiange 28 of the attachingbracket 26 and extends downwardlyto.apositionbetween the moistening roller I8 and theY drum-i6.

Adjacent to the moistening roller I8 is a wick assembly generally indicated at 32 Athat is suspended from the upper end of the attaching bracket 25 on an arcuate flange 33. Disposed above the arcuate ange 33 on each ,wall 2 of i.hs machine is a limiting orsiop pin .Si that serves to limit the movement of thelwiclassemb ly 32 ,during the .time it sboinsromovod-rom .the machine-orappliodilrsreto The. aotualstructure of the wick assemblyflalld thcllllpllla' tion thereof .duriiisiis lyithdrawaliroin the machine ,form r1.0 .part .of tiro orosntnveniion. For

Apurposes c f the presentdescriptionitwllbe suf- .fioiont merely to siate that .the .assembly .3 2 .in-

c ludes -a wick .35 that .during -Iiormal .operation of the `n riachine isheldirmlyagamt theperipherapfacecfthe moistening roller I8 as isbest shown in ligl. .A :more .detailed :description of the Structure. and operation of the wick assembly 3 2 may .be .found in.theoopendrlgapplioation,of Herman A. Gonz, Serial No. 25,3491, iiled May6, 1948.

.The fountain .2.4 .comprises .en .pipe .36 sseliigs. 1 and 3 ,and anouior ipipel .maiis mounted oonoenirioally about ,theirmor Pireso as .to p1ov l.d e arl.arinrlor .spose-or .Woll .3.8 thorohotweerl- The .inner pipe 36 has .a plurality of apertures 39 spasso lengthwise alorigthe pipo .proyidiris .oommunioaiionfbeiwoon the .interior o f the inner pipe the well,3 8. ',heouterpipe 31 nasa pluralityofapertures 4 9 spaced .length- Wise thereof that serve as nozzles forjoirecting o sprayof fluid ,as Shown in Fis-.l inadownwerdly Y direction tovrardtho roller .L8-

.As shown in 1 .arid a rosoryoirgeriorally ndioaioolai il is mounted in the lower region of .the duplioatirlsmaohirleand oomprisesa vouplilro container .42 .tliritliolds a quantity o f .Huid

43 that is .adopted to be supplied to the fountam l 24- This our-like oorliaiuor .42 is supported .on apan or base plate M thatis securedby means of bolts 45 to the spaced walls I2 of themachine. I'hecontainer 52 is provided with@d iillingaperture formed by an intoroolly threadsdnushins l lower end as at 53 -to receive a cup-shaped b ottom c ap 54. The shaft 5i. is provided with a longitudinal passage 155 extending therethrough that opens out through the lower end ofthe shaft and extends upwardly into Ythe cylinder 59. The bottom cap 54 is aperturedas at 55 to provide a "fromrthe insideofcyllnder 50 to an enlarged pas `s ageiiZ that continues to the upper face of the vbody .portion 49. A threaded cap 63 closes the upper lend of the enlarged passage 62. A ball valve64 is seated over passage 6| and is normally held 'in this seated passage by a compression springri.

Referring now to Fig. 6 a discharge passage 66 extends outwardly from passage .62 .and ,communicates .with a'pipe .6 1 ,that extends vfromthe pump assembly 4 8 horizontally ,through .oneof .the walls I2 of .the machine-and then upwardly to. a;position opposite Ythe fomitain 24-.(see Fig..3)

and then .inwardly `again through the machine wall |,2 `vwhere itis attached to the .end of .the inner pipe 36 forming part yof the ,fountain .24.

As-.bestshown-n Fig. 6 thebottomwall of .the cupshaped container Y112 is vapertured as .at ,5 8 and a removable cap 69 normally closesfthis aperture but can -be removed for 4emptying I th e. c on tainer 42.

Again relerring tQ-Fig. l the pistonl `ismount- .ed on'a shaftorplunger .10 thatprojectsbeyond the cylinder 5 0 and isgthreaded `on its Ireeend as Iat 41l .-to receive an r adiustalole collar. 1 2.. VA .xedcollar 1 3 is mountedon the shaft .1 0 inter.-

mediate its Aends. :A tension spring I14 fissecured at one end as at 1 5 to thefree gend of the/ shaft 1.0 and at theother end as at 1,6 `toa bracket 11 that is fixed as at lto the machine frame. Thus the pistonshaft .1 6 -is normally held byspring 1.4 in a retracted position-shown ,in ;F i g.1 but is adapted to-be-moved back and iorthvso'as tofcause 'the piston 5I to reciprocate in the cylinder 50 from -a position shown in dotted lines at 5Ia -(in Fig. l) atthe extreme innerend ofthe cylinder 50 tothe solid lineposition indicatedatS I. While the piston 5I is moving 'from :the `broken line Yposition 51a to the solid-line y110316.10115] suction is created in the passage of shaft 52 so asto raise the ball 'valve 51 offits seat landallowifluid from the reservoir :4I to b e drawn up into the cylinder 50. Duringthisgmoyement ofthe piston 5I the ball valve 64 is retained 01.1 `its seat. During the return stroke of the piston ;5| from its ,solid line DOsition'to the broken -line position :51a

the Vlower ba-ll valve 5-1 is again seated to .close the passage .5;6 while the upper ball valve .6l is raised oil. its seat and the charge of liquid `in fthe cylinder 50 vis forced through pipe :6 1 :(seeligs.

v3 and@ `into the inner pipe 36 of fountain 24.

The fluid Athus fed into the inner pipe 3,6 of the fountain passes through Yaperiures 3 9 into the annular space .or well 3.8 andv then through stipsi!"- moistening roller I8. thus been primed the machine is placed intoV that projects upwardly and is bifurcated at its upper end to engage the adjustable collar 12 on piston shaft 18. Thus as the priming button 8| is pushed downwardly it Vengages arm 84 so as to cause shaft 85 to rotate in aV direction such as to move the arm 86 (Fig. 1) in a clockwise direction to force the piston shaft 18 vand hence the pistonj| `to move toward the dotted line position 5I@ for the piston. Upon releasing the pressure from the priming button 8 I, the tension 'spring 14 (Fig. 1) returns the entire assembly to "the solid line position 4shown in Fig. 1, thereby urging the priming button 8| to its initial position shown in Fig. 2. Thus by a repeated number of strokes of the priming button 8| the pump 48 is caused to'operate to pump fluid intothe fountain '24 and finally onto the wick 35 and After the fountain has operation and as the moistening roller I8 is caused to rotate the moistening fluid is spread over the peripheral surface of the roller by the wick 35. Thus by the time the first copy sheet -is fed from the tray 2| by means of paper feed mechanism 22 between the feed rollers I1 and I8, the latter roller serving as the moistening roller has received its charge of moistening uid so that it can effectively moisten the face of the rst copy sheet.

Again referring to Fig. 2 a cam 81 is mounted on the shaftv II that carries the drum I8. Thus as the drum is caused to rotate the cam 81 likewise is rotated. A bell crank 88 is pivotally mounted as at 89 on one side wall I2 of the machine and adjacent to one free arm of the bell crank 88 is provided a follower roller 88 that rides on the surface of cam 81. To the free end of the bell crank 88 is pivotally mounted as at 8| a link 92, the other end of whichis pivotally secured as at 93 onto the free end of an arm 84. This arm 94 in turn is fixed with respect to a shaft 95 that is journalled as indicated in Fig. 5 in the spaced walls I2 of the machine. Mounted on the shaft 85 between its ends is an arm 96 (see Figs. 1 and 5) that is bifurcated at its upper end as indicated at 91 in Fig. 5 to Astraddle the piston shaft 18 and engage the fixed collar 13 on this shaft.

During normal operation of the machine as the cam 81 is caused to rotate along with the machine drum I8 the bell crank 88 is rocked back and forth on its pivot mount 88 through cooperation between the cam 81 and its follower 98 riding on the surface of the cam. This rocking movement of the bell crank 88 causes the link 92 to reciprocate back and forth so as to rock the arm 94 and the shaft 95. This rocking movement of shaft 85 conveys a similar rocking movement to the arm 96 (Fig. l) and this in turn reciprocates the piston shaft 18 back and forth in exactly the same manner as previously described with respect to the movement of arm 86. 'Thus the pumping of the fluid from the reservoir 4I to the fountain 24 is effected during normal operation of the machine by virtue of the action of this arm 96 shown in Fig. 1.

A tension spring 91 secured at one end as at button 8 I 6 98 to the arm86 and at the other end as at :99 to the brackets11 normally holds the arm 86 in the position shown in Fig. 1. yA similar spring (not shown) is secured at |88 to the arm 96.

Thus there is provided a primerl and moistening fluid operating device that is simple and yet effective in insuring at all times a supply of fluid on the moistening roller for all copy sheetsthat lare fed into the machine commencing with the vvery first copy sheet at the time when the maichine is first placed into operation. The moistening fluid used on the surface of roller I8 4evaporates very rapidly so that after themachine has stood at rest for even a-short-period of time,

the-face of the moistening. roller becomes dry.

Following such period of rest the first copy sheet introduced into the machine would be apt Ato have a. large margin vleft at the top if it were not for the primer lforming the subject matter of the present invention. Y

Again referring to Figs. 2 and 5 aprimer button 8| is provided at the lower end thereof with a stop pin `I8| that engages thebottom edge of a cam plate v|82 which limits the upward movement of the primer button. y'Referring to Figs. '1 and 8 the primer button 8| is further provided with a vertically extending groove |83 that extends substantially throughout the length of the button member. A guide strip |84 is secured by means of bolts |85 to the wall I2 of the machine and-is provided with a verticallyextending corrugation or bead |86 that isfadapted to t in the groove |83 of the primer This bead |86 normally ,holds the primer button 8| and prevents rotation thereof. Thus `,the position `of the stop pin |8| on the cam .plate 4|82 isnormally fixedby the cooperationfbetween v.the bead |86 and' cooperating groove` |83, and in this condition. for purposes of .illustration may effect medium intensity lines that are reproduced onthe copy sheets. In rother words, with the primer button 8| -disposedin the manner shownin the drawings the piston 5| yis operated with a mediumy length stroke. If it is ydesired to increase. the amount-of moistening fiuid initiallydeposited upon the moisteningroller I8, the stroke vof the piston v5| is increased in length by rotating the primerY button 8| in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Figs. '1 and 8) so as to move the pin |8I further upon the plate |82l in which case the intensity of the inked impressions on the first copy sheets is increased. Conversely to decrease the intensity below the medium intensity condition, the primer button 8| is rotating in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Figs. '7 and 8 from the medium position illustrated. An indicator plate |81 (Figs. 5 and 7) is provided so that the intensity condition can be accurately selected and in order to facilitate rotating the primer button 8| a knurled top cap |88 is located at the top of the button. For normal operation of the machine the primer button 8| should be disposed at its medium position illustrated in Figs. 7 and .8 where the bead |86 engages the slot |83 on the button. The guide strip |84 is springlike so as to hold the bead |86 normally in the slot |83 but possesses sufficient resiliency to allow the primer button 8| to be selectively rotated to the other positions.

We claim:

1. For use in a duplicating machine that comprises a drum, a cam on the drum adapted to rotate therewith, a moistening roller, a fountain disposed above the roller, and a wick mounted below the fountain and engaging the roller, the

combination of a reservoir (for retaining asupply of fluid, ka horizontally disposed cylinder, a' pis- 't0n in the cylinder, means providing a .suction passage leading from .the cylinder'into the reservoir, ahorizon'tally disposed shaftv secured to the 'piston and mounted for reciprocating.movement, spring nieansih'olding the piston at oneend ofthe cylinder, intake valve means lthe passage, means providing a discharge passage extending from` the cylinder to the fountain, valve means in the discharge passage, and a palir of Varm means 'each being pivoted adjacent onefend and adjacent 'the other end engaging the shaft, one of the anni mea-ns being operatively connected to the Vclam to be pivotally rocked thereby -so as `to move the shaft against the force ofthe spring means, and a manual actuator vconnected Yto the other arm means to be pivotallyrocled thereby so as to move the shaft against the force o'f the spring means, each of the arms being adapted to rock independently 4ofthe other arm. Y Y y '2. For use in la duplicating machine -that comprises a'drum, a cam on the drum adapted to ro'- tate therewith, a moistening` roller, a fountain disposed above the roller, and a wick mounted below the foun-tain and engaging the roller, the combination of la reservoir for retaining a supply of fluid, a horizontally disposed cylinder above the reservoir and disposed closely adjacent to the top o'f the reservoir, a piston in the cylinder, means providing a suction passage leadingfrom the cylinder downwardly into the reservoir and terminating adjacent to :the bottom of the reserf voir, a horizontally disposed shaft secured to the piston and mounted Vfor reciprocating movement, spring means holding the jp'is'ton atone ,end of 4the cylinder, intake valvemeans in the passage, means providing a discharge passage extending from the cylinder to the fountain, valve means in thejdischarge passage, andja pairv'of arm means each being pivoted yadjacc-fntl one'end yand adiacent the other end engaging the shaft, one' of the arm mea-ns `being operatively connected to 'the cam to be pivotally rocked thereby so 'as to move the `shaft against the force of the spring means, and a manual actuator connected 'to the other arm means to bepivotallyrocke'd thereby so as to move the shaft 'against the force of the spring means,

each of the arms .being adapted to rock independently vof `the other arm.

3. For use in a duplicating machine that oomprises a drum, 'a-cam on the drum adapted to rotate therewith, a moistening roller, a fountain disposed above the roller, and a, wick mounted below the fountain 'and engaging the roller, the combination of a reservoir for retaining a supply of fluid, a horizontally disposed cylinder, 'a piston in the cylinder, means providing a suction passage leading from the cylinder into the reservoir, a horizontally disposed shaft secured to the piston and mounted for reciprocating move ment, spring means holding the piston at one end of the cylinder, intake valve means in the passage, means provi'ding a discharge passage extending from the cylinder to the fountain, valve means 'in the discharge passage, and a pair of arm means each Vbeing pivoted adjacent one end and Yadjacent 'the other end engaging the shaft, one of the Varm means being operatively connected to the cam to lbe pivotally rocked thereby so as tomove `the shaft against the Vforce of the spring means, and a manual actuator connected to the other arm means to be pivotally rocked thereby so as to move the shaft against the -force of the spring means, each of 'the arms being adapted'to rock independently oi the Aother arm, the manual actuator comprising a plunger member spring biased in an upper normal position, and means including an Aadjustable stop member on the plunger for selectively adjusting the upper normal position to thereby adjust the length of stroke of the plunger.

` LOUIS A. -SMII'ZER HENRY D. THOMPSON.

vREFERENCES CITED VThe following Areferences are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED -STATES PATENTS Number 'Name Da'te 2,117,165 Hernlun'd May l0, 1'938 2,135,824 Marchev Nov. 8, 1938 2,161,795 Benello June 1'3, 1939 2,189,765 'Tokats s Feb. v13, 1940 

